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Being forced to resign is a difficult moment in anyone’s career. There are many different reasons why an employer may decide to force an employee’s resignation. Usually, an employee’s services are no longer needed, or they have failed to perform according to the company’s standards. Sometimes, a forced resignation has little to do with an employee’s performance and is instead a result of budget cuts or other corporate issues. Regardless of the reason, a forced resignation hurts a professional both emotionally and financially. However, there are still a few options that can be used by employees to retain their reputation and professionalism throughout the resignation process. ​

Choose TerminationOnce reason why employers often choose to force an employee to resign is so that they will be unable to collect unemployment. In some instances, this can be unfair to an employee who may need to rely on unemployment compensation to meet their living expenses while they seek new employment. This option can be selected by anyone who feels that they are being unfairly released from their position. However, it is also important for employees to remember that a resignation can look better than a termination to potential employers. Therefore, this option will need to be weighed carefully by a person before making a final decision to choose to be terminated.

Negotiate Severance PayDuring the resignation process, an employee should keep in mind that there is a reason why an employer would prefer for them to resign than to be fired. For this reason, many employees can successfully negotiate for a severance package that can help them to maintain their financial stability in the days that follow the loss of their job. Severance pay packages often include a combination of several months of salary, health benefits and a pay out of other perks such as accumulated personal time. For an employee being forced to resign, this package can help to ease the sting of losing their job.

Resign With ProfessionalismWhen being forced to resign, the only thing to do sometimes is to accept this new transition in life, and simply resign with grace. Anyone who is in this position should try to keep in mind that resigning has several advantages over being terminated. First, a resignation allows for a person to choose their last date of employment and can also allow them to mentally prepare for their last day. Additionally, leaving a job with professionalism can ensure that positive relationships will be left intact, and a person might also be able to rely on a positive reference for future employment. In order to resign with professionalism, a resignation letter should be submitted to a manager or a supervisor within two weeks of the last date of employment.

When a person is forced to resign from their employment position, it is important for them to remember that they still have options for resolving their employment issue in a way that will work best for their professional and personal goals. By keeping their options open and choosing to resign with professionalism, a person can leave their former job with their reputation intact and a solid foundation on which to begin to build their new career search.